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March 2019

Over the last almost-thirty years as a priest I’ve had opportunity to talk with hundreds of people about a wide variety of topics in a wide variety of settings. But when those conversations have turned to how a person’s life is going, as they frequently do, there is perhaps one theme that occurs more frequently than all the rest:

The person I am talking to is not satisfied with his or her life.

Now in one sense, that’s just the nature of life in an imperfect world. None of us gets everything we want. But in another sense, the simple truth is that only a small percentage of us get to do what we really wanted to do with our lives.

This new sermon series, which will run for the next 5 weeks, is about taking steps towards making dreams a reality. It’s called Go Big or Go Home, and the idea isn’t that we’d do something ostentatious or grandiose. No, it’s simply that we’d make the most of what’s been given to us in the short time that is our lives. It’s that we’d dream big about what is possible in our marriages, our families, our friendships. It’s that we’d dream big about what is possible in our neighborhood, our school, our workplace, our church, our home.

And it’s that we’d take those dreams seriously enough to take steps to realize them. In the brief time we are on this planet, we’ll make the unique contribution that only we can make. The idea is that we will become more fulfilled, more focused on things that matter, and happier with life. Because even if our life is pretty good—maybe even pretty darn good—there are always things that need improvement, always areas of our lives and in the world that can use a little (or a lot) of help.

Given the chance, the use of those sticks will probably not be Parent Approved.

Stuart Brown, a physician, psychiatrist, and clinical researcher, has written a wonderful book on play. He says that play is not "always sweetness and light. Play can be dangerous. People do get hurt." That does seem to be the direction this is heading...

He calls this kind of play "rough-and-tumble". "Rough-and-tumble play," he says, "is typical among all juvenile mammals, including humans. Part of rough-and-tumble play is that, often, someone goes a little too far. ... [When this happens] both have learned something about how far they can go. It might seem paradoxical, but such episodes allow the kids to be closer and more free, especially now that they have discovered where their own boundaries lie." Such wisdom does come at a price...

Moments later, the other boy helped this boy up. He hobbled off the field with a rather dramatic limp. A few minutes later, both boys came back, and both were walking just fine. They did not, however, pick up sticks.

It’s been said that we make our commitments, and then our commitments make us. I believe that is true. No commitment has shaped my life more than my commitment to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

But here’s the thing: commitments aren’t a “one and done” kind of thing. They need to be renewed on a regular basis. Sometimes, I think, it’s good to renew our commitments in public. That’s why people post about their diets or their exercise routines on social media. By going public, they are rededicating themselves to getting fit. Doing so in front of God and everybody adds a level of accountability. Doing it regularly—sometimes multiple times a day—keeps their commitment fresh.

It is with this in mind that I have decided to reaffirm my faith when Bishop Jones joins us on September 20. The Bishop will lay his hands on my head and pray,

Rob, may the Holy Spirit, who has begun a good work in you, direct and uphold you in the service of Christ and his kingdom. Amen.

There is nothing I desire more, nothing that is more important to me, than this. May the Holy Spirit indeed direct and uphold me, finishing the good work the Spirit has begun.

And this seems particularly pertinent in relation to the major transitions we are facing at St. Matt’s. I’ve therefore invited our Staff and Vestry to join me in making this commitment as well. It’s an important way of saying, quite publicly, that we are deeply committed to doing all in our power and then some to help St. Matt’s live into God’s best for us. Personally, it’s a way of saying that even after 15 years, I’m all in.

Perhaps you would like to publicly reaffirm your faith as well. Whether that is the case or not, I do hope you’ll join us for what I believe will be a glorious day.

P.S. For those in the area, we'd love to have you join us immediately following the 11am service as we celebrate Saint Matthew's Day with a picnic. Please bring a dish to share according to the first letter of your last name. A-N - Side Dish; O-Z - Dessert

There is something very rewarding about finding something one has been searching for his whole life long, but which in the past has always proved to be elusive. A Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar is one of those things for me. I've been hoping to find one since I was a kid, actively looking for one without any success.

But then, just last week, I noticed this guy hurrying across the road.